Liberia’s Vice President , Dr Jewel Howard-Taylor is a woman of enlightened, extensive and extemporaneous discussion. She revealed the winning formular in the last general presidential elections in 2017 and its application in the upcoming October elections. In this exclusive interview with Abubakar Hashim in Monrovia, she spoke on strategies to win the October elections, other burning issues in the country and the special relations with the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Since you were democratically elected on a joint ticket with H E President George Manneh Weah in 2017, how has the journey been so far, in relation to governance, achievements and challenges?
I can say campaigning is easier than governance. We had quite a few bumps, CORONA for example, that affected the entire world, Liberia inclusive. We took over in 2018; by the time we got into 2019 to 2020, CORONA was a full blown virus. The entire world shut down. All the plans and programs we had, had to be put aside and government had to go into emergency mood.Funds had to be re-directed away from conventional budgetary allocations, into health emergency services.
I’m happy to say that our government, though with these severe challenges, kept governance functioning, by providing routine services, as security, inputs into the economic system and other core functions, to avoid a total collapse.
We handled COVID diligently. President Weah devoted enormous resources, even converted our military hospital to treat COVID cases. So as the rest of the world was challenged with COVID, Liberia was also challenged in our first few years in office.
I’m again happy to say, though with these challenges, our economy is slowly recovering, schools are opened, more hospitals have been built, imports and exports of goods and services have been restored. Our government’s current emphasis to develop the agricultural as it employs over 60% of the population, in order to eat what we grow and grow what we eat and even to export to bring additional revenues. It’s not been an easy 5years in governance, but our President has demonstrated maximum revolve to stabilize the economy and bring governance to an even keel, relative to global challenges.
Your government places emphasis on youth empowerment, locally called “Zoggos.” What is the rationale for this strategy and how far has the government empowered the youths?
Remember we are post-conflict nation, right from 1980, when the coup took place, with the former President murdered, to 2005, when the new Republic began, children never had a regular life. Most families were scattered in the sub region. I want to state here our maximum appreciation to Nigeria for the sacrifice, particularly the Nigerian military, to bring back sanity to Liberia and the cessation of war and crisis in our country.
Children born during the period didn’t get the opportunity to attend regular schools. They litter around the streets, not only in Monrovia but in all the cities, looking for things to do.
“Zoggos” literally means youths not engaged in any productive venture,mainly on drugs. During the war, a lot of youths were forced into drugs as child soldiers.
We are building a center, not far from the airport, to be furnished, with a health center, to de-toxicate drug addicts. It will be equipped with skills training programs to change the youths into useful citizens for themselves and families.
There is another program funded by the World Bank for youth empowerment. There is the Monrovia vocational Skills training center in different professional areas including computer training, sponsored by the Chinese government. It was built during President Doe’s government, training thousands of youths. There are, today, more youth empowerment programs, scattered around the country, that help young people get training for self-sufficiency.
Our government now places emphasis on rehab centers to detox our youths, to get them ready for normal life. It’s a process, ongoing, to provide now lease of life.
“Zoggos” are not only limited to males.Females are also involved, that have been rehabilitated into useful ventures. After 2023 elections, much more will be done, as the youths constitute about 60% of the population. About half of this percentage is called “Zoggos.” So there is a lot of work to be done.
Liberia is currently ranked as the most peaceful country in West Africa. An amazing development from its ugly past as the country fought a 14 year-old war. Madam Vice President, how did Liberia achieve the positive and monumental stride, in view of its ugly past?
It’s, indeed, as a result of our ugly past, as you rightly put it. The war was quite devastating to the Fabric of our society. The 14 year-old war exacerbated the issues we went to war. People are now wise and knowledgeable about the dastard effects of war. We are ranked the most peaceful country due to our experiences of war. I want to use this medium to appeal to other West African countries to sheath their swords, as wars do not solve problems, but worsen problems. We’ve gone backward to 50 years. Where we were before 1980, we were like the New York of West Africa. Today, we are the least developed because we destroyed everything. War is never an option to traverse; peace is the only visible way to development.
In October, Liberians will head to the polls. Madam Vice President, are you confident you will win the elections?
I will like to tie in this answer to 2017, when we came together as a coalition of 3 political parties, standing against the then ruling party. We were coming in as the under dogs. Nobody thought we will win. The power of incumbency is crucial in electoral victory in African countries. Winning 2023 elections entails lots of political strategies and negotiations. In the last elections, with the help of God, we went into a second round. Elections are not simple. It will be foolhardy for me to say, 100%, we will win. Winning entails lots of strategies. As an incumbent government, we should do the same we did in 2019, put our plans in place, go to the nooks and crannies of our country, negotiate with our people to give us a second chance, to enable our President to complete his agenda.
I believe there is a lot of work to be done. There are a lot of projects ongoing. We will appeal to the nation, these are our achievements, these are the short falls and we know if given the second chance, we will achieve more results. This is the process we must undertake, to convince the Liberian people for a second chance to complete our programs. It involves negotiations and wide consultations.
Your foundation, the “Jewel Foundation’’, is making tremendous strides. You’ve championed “Girl child” development. What is the impact of the foundation in promoting girl child development in the country?
The Jewel Foundation is 22 years old. I’ve been on this before I had a political platform. What drew my attention was that, my mother was the first in her generation to go to school. My father had 7 daughters and 1 son. I got a message from my parents, as early as 5 years old, about the crucial importance of educating the girl child, as the light and the key to success. I could never forget those words at a tender age of 5. Girls are more vulnerable than boys in getting pregnant, unwanted marriages and other issues to drop out of school.
This is what I’ve done for 22 years. The foundation has girls all over Liberia, about 3,000. We now have 21 girls in Malawi, 21 in Ghana, 21 also in Sierra Leone, at the Fourah Bay College. So what we are doing extends beyond our borders. I think this message of girl education is worth developing in the sub region. Any woman empowered, provides bundles of opportunities to the society.
The foundation also engages in other economic empowerment activities, to promote women entrepreneurship to educate the girl child. The scheme has produced graduates; some have even gone abroad to proceed to post graduate levels. I give my scholarships to girls. Some say, why girls, I respond saying, the girls are far behind and far more vulnerable. More importantly, the women now take care of the family, so they should be matched up to male counterparts
Madam Vice President, what are the current relations with Nigeria? Nigeria’s Ambassador to Liberia says it’s cordial. What is your position on the relations between the two countries?
Nigeria is the brothers’ keeper. I believe, not just for Liberia, but for the entire region. The relations go way back to the early years of Tolbert and Thubman. President Doe and President Babangida had strong relations. We’ve managed to keep the relations stronger. During the war, many Liberians ended in Nigeria. They were given support and means of livelihoods. Not only that, Nigeria also provided financial and military supports to end the war.
When Liberia’s new republic began in 2006, Presidents Obasanjo, Jonathan, now Buhari, all have strong relations with Liberia. We are so grateful to the “big brother” role of Nigeria in Liberia, A lot of Nigerian soldiers died here in Liberia to end our 14 year-old war.
President Weah and President Buhari have strong relations. The two countries are like a strong family. Nigeria plays a key and huge part of our economy. Nigeria and Liberia are inter-linked in so many ways. We remain grateful to Nigeria.